Owning a dog often involves frequent clean-ups behind them. It’s incredibly unwelcome for pet owners to discover their dog has urinated on the bed. However, if this incident happens more than once, it inevitably leads to the inquiry, ‘why did my dog pee on my bed?’
Many things lead to this situation. Ranging from being a sign of injury to marking of territory, the fact that it peed on the bed is not something that should be overlooked. Moreover, fear and safety issues also lead the canine friend to use beds to relieve themselves.
Hence, this article focuses on the main aspects causing this kind of response from the canine friend and how to respond in cases like this. Since the animal could be showing such behavior due to a variety of issues, we need to care for them while trying to resolve the issue.
5 Reasons Why Dogs Pee On The Bed
Before trying to resolve the pet’s leakage problem, it is necessary to find the underlying causes that lead to finding dog pee in bed. It is often a result of reasons that are medical, non-medical, or a combination of both.
1. Marking Territory
Dogs use urine marking to claim territory regardless of their gender, but the instinct is more strong in male dogs. From fire hydrants to their favorite benches in the park and your sheets, pups take a leak on it so that other animals know that they are intruding. As a result, when the pup tries to show their love for the parent by spreading a little of their urine on the bed to claim their turf, the dog owner gets a problem on their hand.
Dogs that are not neutered or spayed tend to exhibit bedwetting habits. This is not done in spite or to insult the owner but instead, to relieve the pup’s stress. This habit can be countered by using belly bands that prevent urination on random surfaces or by making sure that the dogs are never left alone near the bedroom.
Another reason behind dogs leaving around a puddle of urine is because they feel threatened or insecure by new additions to the family. Be it a new family member or another new pet, dogs try to keep their belongings and position protected by spreading their scent to exert dominance. This can be trained out of the dogs using positive reinforcement and giving them ample attention.
2. Incontinence
Sometimes dogs do not have control over their bladders and there might be medical reasons for the lack of control. This is not to be confused with young and teenage pups urinating at random spots without any reason. In the case of geriatric dogs, incontinence may result from muscles atrophying due to old age.
It may occur as a side-effect of the medications prescribed by the veterinarian. With conditions like diabetes, the pup feels overly thirsty and consumes a lot of water and this combined with irregular bathroom breaks leads to loss of bladder control.
Another condition to look out for is kidney malfunctioning and failure. If the dog pees around the house consistently and if it accompanies blood, then be sure to visit the veterinarian.
Often, because of pain from inflammation of joints due to arthritis, pups fail to move when they need to urinate and end up peeing on your bed. Since the dog can not verbally express their physical problems, look for signs like urinary incontinence to help them.
3. Lack Of Housetraining
At times, the answer to ‘why do dogs pee on the bed’ is simply the absence of house training. A pup that is not thoroughly trained in manners becomes confused about where to urinate and when to do so. Thus, when they see an open space like the bed, the dog pees on it. Having a good bed for your dog can also help with this.
Training a stubborn dog to recognize the places where they can and cannot urinate is going to be frustrating but rewarding in the long run. This will save you the effort of airing out your mattress often. Crate training is one of the relatively successful methods to approach an untrained dog.
Through this method, the trainer shows the puppy specific areas where they should not relieve their bladder. As a result, the pup knows to wait for the dog walker to come and take them for a potty break on a schedule.
4. Stress & Anxiety
If you find yourself asking ‘why is my dog peeing on my bed’, understand that the pet might be facing some stress or anxiety. Extreme anxiety or fear can cause the pooch to show submissive behavior. In the attempts to show their respect and submission, they tend to urinate and at times, it happens to be on beds.
When major changes happen in the surroundings and the dog is not able to cope with them, changes in their manners are seen. Settings like a thunderstorm, an unknown houseguest, or the sudden absence of a family member make the dog stressed. Returning to a place of comfort, that is the bed, is the only way they seem to relax and may end with dog pee on the bed.
Sometimes due to separation anxiety, pets defecate or urinate in places that smell the most like the owners. Often, the solution, for them, is peeing on your bed. One way to help with this is to give your dog toys to play with on their own so they have a way of entertaining themselves when you are not around.
5. Urinary Tract Infection
Medical issues like UTI [1] are common issues faced by pets. The animal faces painful urination and lowered control over the bladder. Nevertheless, bacterial infections of the urinary tracts do not mean that your pet has forgotten its manners around the house.
Regardless of age, UTI is painful and makes the pet feel like they need to relieve themselves immediately even when they do not. With this sudden ‘urge’ for a trip to the bathroom and the delay in getting onto their feet, it results in your pet wetting the bed or the areas near it.
Other problems like bladder stones, spinal failure, and side effects of drugs also cause untimely passing of urine. An appointment with the vet and a dose of antibiotics usually clear up the infection.
How To Stop Dog Peeing On Bed
Before attempting any correction methods on the dog, understand that the doggo did not act the way it did to get back at you or to insult you. Most of the time this reaction is seen in dogs when they miss their companion and want to spend more time in a spot with their scent. A few ways to approach the task at hand are:
Avoid Angry Reactions
Especially for puppies adopted from animal shelters, try to avoid expressing displeasure violently because this will only worsen the situation and traumatize them. When the individuals around them have explosive reactions, the pup shows more displays of submission.
Therefore, no matter how frustrating it gets, do not inflict harsh punishments on the puppies in anger. Instead, condition their responses using treats to eliminate such instances in the future.
Start Proper Housetraining
After the initial anger has subsided, consult with a veterinary-specialized behaviorist to gain insight on why the dog acts this way and tips to discourage it. Restart teaching the doggie the rules to keep in mind before defecating or urinating.
Another simple hack to avoid the pet from wetting the bed is by keeping them away from that part of the house and locking up the bedroom door. Moreover, installing a doggie door, if possible, is convenient for the pup to relieve itself outdoors.
Take Your Dog To The Vet
If the habit does not go away with the attempts made, be sure to take the canine to a vet. Their loss of hold over the bodily functions might be symptoms of an undiagnosed disease.
Note that the sooner the diagnosis is given and medication is administered, the easier life becomes for both you and the canine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dogs urinate on the bed out of spite?
Dogs never urinate out of spite. Most of the time, such behavior stems from feeling vulnerable. If they look guilty after the accident, it is not because they got into trouble but because they are afraid. More than spite, the most common factors to look for when the dog pees on the bed are anxiety, excitement, and boredom.
What kills the smell of dog urine?
After the pup has made a mess, the crucial step is to soak up the most of it using paper towels. Using baking soda or enzymatic cleaners neutralizes the odor. Also, making sure that the spot is completely dry kills the worst of the smell.
Why would a housetrained dog urinate inside?
If the dog suddenly has more accidents than ever, chances are that the pup is developing urinary tract infections. It is a common health problem in dogs and is the main reason behind inappropriate peeing on the bed.
Conclusion
The canine urinating around your home is an issue to be solved with utmost urgency. It could mean that something is troubling the furry companion in the form of an illness or they might be having an experience of discomfort with the people around them. Once you provide the treatment for this undesirable response, your pooch will have more confidence in everything and you will never have the comic complaint of ‘my dog peed on my bed’ again.
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